CEO Search

In June 2024, E.L. Haynes Public Charter School announced that it would search for its next Chief Executive Officer (CEO) in the 2024-2025 School Year. Throughout SY 2024-25, we engaged our staff, families, and students to identify our new leader. In March, we announced that Toni Barton will serve as the next CEO beginning July 1, 2025.

Learn About Toni Read the Job Description

A timeline graphic with the following information.

Phase 1 (September - November).
Conduct initial community engagement.
Launch CEO search.
Informational interviews.
Candidate cultivation.

Phase 2 (October - January).
Candidate interviews.

Phase 3 (January - March).
Interviews continued.
Determine finalist.
Board vote and confirmation of candidate.

Phase 4 (March - June).
Public information release.
Onboarding of new CEO.

*All dates are subject to change.

Who was responsible for finding our next CEO?

The E.L. Haynes Board of Trustees (Board) held responsibility for selecting our next CEO. To focus the Board’s efforts on this critical transition while it continued to oversee ongoing academic performance and operations work, the Board formed a Search Committee to lead this process with the support of a hired search firm.

In summer 2024, after evaluating over a dozen executive search firms, the Search Committee selected Leveled Talent to help find our next CEO. Leveled Talent has a deep reach into the national talent pool and a track record of identifying and placing strong candidates.

In March 2025, we shared that the Board selected and appointed Toni Barton to serve as the next CEO after a multi-round interview and screening process that culminated in a day-long finalist interview, with participation from more than 60 staff, students, families, and Board of Trustees.

Meet the CEO Search Committee

Lenora Robinson Mills

Search Committee Chair,
Board Vice Chair, Parent Trustee

Chief Operating Officer, IMB Partners

Roshelle Payes

Parent Trustee

Project Director – Early Childhood and Health, Nemours’ Children’s Health System

Richard Laine

Trustee

Regional Director – Midwest, National Center on Education and the Economy

Fonda Sutton

Board Chair-elect

Partner – Public Engagement, Education Forward DC

Keylon Simpkins

Trustee

High School Teacher, E.L. Haynes Public Charter School

SKILLS	EXPERIENCE	TRAITS / VALUES
Visionary Leadership / Executive team management Communication & active listening Accountability & change management Implementation of evidence-based instruction strategies Talent development Relationship building Collaboration Family outreach Sustainable systems building Data-driven decision-making Community champion	Knowledge of K-12 learning scope Knowledge of school assessment & frameworks Has supported culture-building & school safety Has served diverse students and shares a lived-experience (e.g., First-generation, English learner, DMV) Has significant teaching experience; school leadership experience is a plus Bilingual : English / Spanish (nice-to-have) Leadership experience in a charter organization (nice-to-have) Knowledge of the DC landscape (nice-to-have)	Student-centered Equity-driven Relational / welcoming Belief in family / community agency Authentic Self-aware Empathetic Responsive Inspirational Innovative Adaptable

Meet Toni!

Toni Barton was appointed as Chief Executive Officer following a national search and rigorous selection process, led by Raven Woods at Leveled Talent, and included a multi-round interview and screening process that culminated in a day-long finalist interview, with the participation of more than 60 E.L. Haynes staff, students, families, and Board of Trustees.

E.L. Haynes Appoints Toni Barton as Next CEO

“

We are thrilled that Toni Barton will be taking the helm of E.L. Haynes. Toni brings a wealth of experience and knowledge, with a strong background in leading inclusive schools. She is the ideal leader to shape the future of E.L. Haynes as we look forward to our next twenty years.”

Lisa Carlton Waller

Chair, E.L. Haynes Board of Trustees